(16/11/2018) Freo congratulates Hungerford Award winner
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The City of Fremantle has congratulated Geraldton-born writer Holden Sheppard for taking home one of WA’s most prestigious literary awards.
Sheppard’s manuscript Invisible Boys was announced as the winner of the 2018 City of Fremantle T.A.G. Hungerford Award at a ceremony at Fremantle Arts Centre last night.
The biennial prize of $12,000 and a publishing contract with Fremantle Press is presented to an emerging West Australian writer for their first full-length, unpublished work of fiction or narrative non-fiction.
Invisible Boys is a novel about a group of young men negotiating what it means to identify as gay, and the risks and issues of coming out in a small town.
Set in Geraldton in the present day, the story is shared in alternating chapters between several narrators whose journeys and destinations are all quite different, but who each struggle to be seen or accepted for who they are.
The T.A.G Hungerford Award is sponsored by the City of Fremantle, Fremantle Press and The West Australian.
Fremantle Mayor Brad Pettitt said the City was proud to have the opportunity to give six emerging West Australian writers recognition for their hard work and talent.
“The diversity of stories shared by our six shortlisted writers this year was quite remarkable,” Mayor Pettitt said.
“It’s clear that young West Australian writers have some fascinating stories to tell, and it’s an honour for the City to help our local storytellers get their voices heard.
“The Hungerford Award’s value as a springboard for emerging writers is well understood across the Australian publishing industry.
“The majority of the writers shortlisted for the 2014 and 2016 awards are now published authors, and some have gone on be shortlisted for and win other major Australian literary awards.
“We are confident the six shortlisted writers in this year’s awards will each go on to find success as published writers.”
In September this year the City of Fremantle pledged to continue its support for the award until 2024, with an increase in prize money to $15,000.